(Source)

Since the opening of the NBA’s free-agency period, Atlanta Hawks forward, Josh Smith has been undecided about where he would continue his NBA career. He ultimately wanted to stay in his hometown of Atlanta, but as offers from other teams started rolling in, the grass began to look greener on another side. After being heavily recruited by the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers, it was an offer made by the Memphis Grizzlies that became the deciding factor.

The Hawks made the decision for him late Friday night by matching the five-year, $58 million offer the Grizzlies made to Smith, a restricted free agent, earlier in the day.


Grizzlies for Josh Smith,” Hawks general manager Rick Sund said in a statement released by the team. “We are happy to announce that we will match their offer sheet. Ownership, management and the team are happy to have Josh return as a member of the Hawks. We look forward to training camp in October, and we will continue to look at additional opportunities to improve our roster.”

The final deal is $13 million more than the only offer made by the Hawks, a five-year, $45 million deal that Smith turned down in October.

After seeing the Hawks lose Josh Childress to a Greek team, fans can relax now. Josh Smith, the “6-foot-9, 240-pound shot-blocking terror” is staying at home!